The Atlanta-based company on Monday named Paul D. Donahue chief executive officer and president. Tom Gallagher, who had been CEO, will remain part of the company by continuing his role as board chairman.
“We are extremely pleased to name Paul as only the fifth CEO in the 88 year history of Genuine Parts Company,” Gallagher said in a statement.
“Paul is a proven executive and has demonstrated exceptional leadership capabilities in his 13 years with us,” he said. “His deep knowledge and understanding of the company as well as his vast industry experience make him the right person to successfully lead our company into the future.”
Donahue, 59, has served as president of Genuine since 2012 and also was president of the company’s U.S. Automotive Parts Group from 2009 to 2015.
Before that, Donahue was executive vice president of Genuine Parts from 2007 to 2009 and president and chief operating officer of S. P. Richards Company from 2003 to 2007. PauDonahue’s resume also includes a stint as president of the Sanford North American division of Newell Brands, formerly known as Newell Rubbermaid.
Genuine Parts Company, (NYSE: GPC), is a service organization engaged in the distribution of automotive replacement parts, industrial replacement parts, office products and electrical/electronic materials. GPC serves numerous customers from more than 2,600 operations around the world and has approximately 39,000 employees.[1]
Founded in 1925,[2] GPC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and consists of multiple subsidiaries, including the Automotive Parts Group, the Industrial Parts Group, the Office Products Group, and the Electrical / Electronic Parts Group.[1] The Company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since going public in 1948[1] and is currently building a new headquarters building in Cobb County, Georgia, situated in the greater Atlanta area.[3]
